Catholics/Census at Jesus' Time

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Expert: - 12/7/2011


Question
I recently heard that the census at Jesus' birth didn't take place.  I tend to believe the bible and believe it did take place.  Is historical history different from the bible?

Answer
There are a number of references to censuses in Augustus' time in the classical historians, such as Tacitus.  A census in a region was really a form of tax enrollment.  Its intention was not to count individuals, but to determine the amount of tax that each was to pay.

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Fr. Michael

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A traditional Catholic priest, who provides forthright answers to questions FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TRADITIONAL CATHOLICISM (not the New Order) on topics pertaining to TRADITIONAL Roman Catholicism, including theology, the Bible, Church history, the Latin language, liturgy (especially the Traditional Latin Mass), and music (especially Gregorian chant), and current events in the Catholic Church.

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